Method of using infant&#39;s grasp impeding apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method of using a grasp-impeding apparatus that prevents newborns from dislodging health care devices such as monitoring lines, I.V./intraarterial lines, chest tubes, endotrachael tubes, feeding tubes, central lines, and catheter tubes. The grasp-impeding apparatus is worn on the infant&#39;s hand and impedes the infant&#39;s ability to grasp components of the health care devices, and accordingly, pull and remove the health care devices. The apparatus can further be used to provide support to the palm, thereby stabilizing the hand in which the I.V. is introduced.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of neonatal heath careprocedures and devices in that field to facilitate neonatal health care.

BACKGROUND

Newborns often require specialized health care. For instance, it iscommon in neonatal care wards to use intravenous (“I.V.”) orintraarterial delivery methods to ensure that a sufficient quantity ofnourishment or medicines are delivered to the infant. In fact,I.V./intraarterial delivery methods have been successfully incorporatedinto the accepted care procedures for most hospitals engaged in neonatalcare. Equally common are catheter tubes or other monitoring equipment,some with accompanying sensors that are attached to the infant's skinvia wires or leads.

Since introducing a neonatal I.V./intraarterial needle, or catheter intoan infant is a sensitive procedure that can be traumatic for the infantand the infant's family that happens to be observing the procedure, itis important that an inserted I.V./intraarterial needle or catheter tuberemain properly attached once it is correctly introduced into theinfant. Properly attached I.V./intraarterial tubing ensures that theadministered nourishment or medicine is continuously passed into theinfant's veins or arteries. Similarly, a properly attached catheter tubeensures that the infant's waste is properly disposed of and accuratelymonitored as is sometimes necessary.

If the I.V./intraarterial catheter is dislodged from an infant, it willneed to be reintroduced. The I.V./intraarterial catheter tubereintroduction procedure presents a substantial chance that the infantwill be traumatized by the discomfort and increases the risk ofinfection. Moreover, the visual manifestations of the infant's traumacan also be traumatic to the infant's parents and hospital staff.

It is also common to monitor an infant's vital signs using monitoringequipment. The monitoring equipment is often coupled to the infant viawire leads and monitoring sensors that are attached to the infant's skinand provide feedback to the monitoring equipment or intravascularmonitoring devices. The monitoring equipment is programmed to alert thehospital staff of abnormalities in the infant's vital signs who will inturn respond with an appropriate health care action and/or procedure.Such actions and/or procedures can often include several members of thehospital staff and require additional costly supplies and therefore be,accordingly, expensive.

One vital sign abnormality that requires an immediate response is aninterruption of monitored vital sign input. And regardless of whetherthe interruption of monitoring is a result of either a health careemergency that requires a particular emergency health care procedure, oris a result of a dislodging of the monitoring sensors, the interruptionof monitoring input requires an immediate response and action.

Commonly, it is the infants that tend to grasp and dislodge the,infusion lines, endotrachael tubes, I.V. needles, catheter tubes, orlead wires for monitoring equipment that is in contact with their body.For whatever reason, it is common for newborns to reach for, grasp, andpull on objects that are within reach of their body. Since health caredevices such as I.V. tubes, Intraarterial lines, endotrachael tubes,chest tubes, feeding tubes, central lines, catheter tubes, andmonitoring leads are among those objects typically within an infantsreach, it is common for infants to grasp the tubes or leads of thesehealth care devices. Often times, the pulling force from the infant issufficient to either cause the complete removal of the I.V. needle,intraarterial catheter, or monitoring leads. Since the completewithdrawal or disorientation of an infant's health care device can be ahealth risk or at least undesirable, it would be advantageous to reducethe probability that an infant will grasp and remove the lines, tubes,or leads of their health care devices.

Previous inventions, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,794 issuedto Neville, U.S. Pat. No. 2,744,526 issued to Saylors, and U.S. Pat. No.4,481,942 issued to Duncan, disclose restraints that can be used toprevent infants from harming themselves. Restraints are, however,considered by some parents to be overly harsh, require a strictadherence to hospital policy and procedure for use, and are thereforeused as a last resort for preventing a infant from indirectly causingharm to themselves. Moreover, restraints such as those disclosed inthese patents would not completely immobilize the infants arms and couldactually augment the likelihood that an infant swinging his arms mightdislodge a tube or line of an attached health care device. Finally, thepresent inventions would be relatively expensive compared to theapparatus proposed for use with the present invention.

Other devices, such as those in U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,244, U.S. Pat. No.Re. 20,858, U.S. Pat. No. 1,984,613, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,108,completely encloses the hand. While these inventions can be useful forpreventing an infant from grasping and removing the tubes or lines oftheir health care devices, these inventions block the infant's abilityto touch and feel with their fingers thereby preventing any tactileexploration of their environment. Moreover, because these devicescompletely enclose the infant's hands, visual and tactile circulationassessment is not possible with the devices disclosed in these patents.Finally, some parents might consider such restraining devices an overlyharsh manner of preventing infant's from harming themselves.

Finally, inventions in U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,926, U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,456,and U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,918 each discloses structures that occupy thepalm area of a wearer. However, none of these devices disclose, orremotely suggest, using the inventions therein to perform the method ofthe present invention.

Thus, it would be beneficial to have a method of using an apparatus thathumanely prevents infants from grasping and removing the lines or tubesof their health care devices. The present invention comprises a methodof using a structure to humanely impede infants from grasping, pullingand dislodging the lines, tubes or leads of health care devices that areconnected or attached to an infant's body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is useful for humanely preventing infants fromgrasping and removing health care devices such as I.V./intraarteriallines, chest tubes, endotrachael tubes, feeding tubes, central lines, orcatheter tubes and monitoring lead lines that have been introduced orattached to the infant's body. The invention comprises a method of usinga grasp-impeding apparatus that has a palm-pad and a strap coupled tothe palm-pad that retains the palm-pad in the palm of the infant. Thepalm-pad provides sufficient resistance to the infant such that ainfant's hand cannot fully form a grasping fist.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The inventionitself, however, both as to its structure and its operation togetherwith the additional object and advantages thereof will best beunderstood from the following description of the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words andphrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary andaccustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art orarts. If any other meaning is intended, the specification willspecifically state that a special meaning is being applied to a word orphrase. Likewise, the use of the words “function” or “means” in theDescription of Preferred Embodiments is not intended to indicate adesire to invoke the special provision of 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6 todefine the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C.§112, paragraph 6, are sought to be invoked to define the invention(s),the claims will specifically state the phrases “means for” or “step for”and a function, without also reciting in such phrases any structure,material, or act in support of the function. Even when the claims recitea “means for” or “step for” performing a function, if they also reciteany structure, material or acts in support of that means of step, thenthe intention is not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112,paragraph 6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112,paragraph 6, are invoked to define the inventions, it is intended thatthe inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, materialor acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but inaddition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that performthe claimed function, along with any and all known or later-developedequivalent structures, materials or acts for performing the claimedfunction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a depicts a perspective view of a first apparatus to be used withthe present invention.

FIG. 1b depicts a reverse perspective view of the first apparatus to beused with the present invention.

FIG. 1c & 1 d depict the present invention.

FIG. 2a & 2 b depicts a second apparatus to be used with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2c & 2 d depict the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention, is a method of using a grasp-impeding apparatus 1to prevent newborns from dislodging health care devices such asmonitoring leads, I.V./intraarterial needles, and catheter tubes. Thegrasp-impeding apparatus 1, which is worn on the infant's hand, impedesthe infant's ability to grasp components of the health care devices, andaccordingly, pull and remove the health care devices.

The grasp-impeding apparatus 1 most generally comprises a palm-pad 10coupled to a strap 30. The palm-pad 10 is a structure that substantiallyoccupies the surface area of an infant's palm and that impedes saidinfant from completely forming a fist. See FIG. 1c. The specific sizeand shape of the palm-pad 10 are non-critical, but it is contemplatedthat an able palm-pad 10 size would be on the order of 0.5 inches to 3inches across at the narrowest dimension. The preferred shape of thepalm-pad 10 is curved for ergonomic reasons. Particularly, the preferredpalm-pad 10 shapes are substantially spherical, oval or evenspoon-shaped. Alternate palm-pad 10 shapes that are also useable includecylinders, rectangles, or a shape that mirrors the shape of an infant'spalm and that has ridges adapted to receive the infant's fingers. Inlight of the disclosed structures and the purpose of the palm-pad 10, itis contemplated that an ordinarily skilled practitioner would be capableof conceiving of many alternate structures that could function as thepalm-pad 10.

Since the palm-pad 10 provides resistance to the infant's attempt toform a grasping-fist, the preferred palm-pad 10 is semi-rigid relativeto the strength of an infant's grasp. The exact rigidity is notcritical. Fibrous or lattice structures are able structures due to theirresiliency. Alternatively, substantially rigid non-giving structurescould also be used even though such structures are likely to be lesscomfortable than semi-rigid structures. Alternate materials are alsouseful for the palm-pad 10. For example, both natural and syntheticmaterials are able construction materials so long as the materials arenon-toxic, non-shedding and non-allergenic.

The palm-pad 10 is secured to the infants hand by the at least one strap30 that is adapted to wrap around the backside of the infant's hand. Thestrap 30 is coupled to the palm-pad 10 and is preferably adjustable inlength to ensure a proper fit on each infant's hand. Elastic alone, orin combination with a fastener such as hook-and-loop or snaps, arepreferred for constructing the strap 30. Alternatively, non-elasticstrapping can also be used so long as the palm-pad 10 can be comfortablysecured to the infant's hand using the strap 30. FIG. 2 depicts atwo-piece strap 30 with hook-and-loop fastener attached at distal ends,26 and 28, of the strap 30 to secure the strap 30 around the back of theinfant's hand. Like the palm-pad 10, the strap 30 material should benon-toxic, non-shedding and non-allergenic.

More elaborate strapping structures can also be used to secure thepalm-pad 30 to the infant's hand. For instance, FIGS. 1a-1 d, depict astrapping structure that includes a two-piece wrist-strap 18 attached bya first strap extension 24 to the palm-pad 10 and at least onefinger-strap 20 attached by a second strap extension 22 to the palm-pad10. This structure is particularly beneficial because the wrist-strap 18and the finger-strap 20 combination substantially reduce the likelihoodthat the palm-pad 10 will become dislodged from, or wrongly positionedon, the infant's hand. In this embodiment, hook-and-loop fastener isattached at the distal ends of the two-piece wrist-strap 18. It is clearfrom the description and the purpose disclosed that an ordinarilyskilled person in the art could conceive of additional or alternatestrapping systems.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is described above in theDrawings and Description of Preferred Embodiments. While thesedescriptions directly describe the above embodiments, it is understoodthat those skilled in the art may conceive modifications and/orvariations to the specific embodiments shown and described herein. Anysuch modifications or variations that fall within the purview of thisdescription are intended to be included therein as well. Unlessspecifically noted, it is the intention of the inventor that the wordsand phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary andaccustomed meanings to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art(s).The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment and best mode of theinvention known to the applicant at the time of filing the applicationhas been presented and is intended for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form disclosed, and many modifications andvariations are possible in the light of the above teachings. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical application and to enableothers skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in variousembodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of preventing an infant from graspinghealth care devices, comprising the step of affixing a palm pad to apalm surface of at least one hand of said infant; said palm-pad beingadapted to impede the grasp of said infant by providing sufficientresistance to prevent the infant's hand from forming a grasping fistwhile allowing the fingers of the infant to extend freely away from thepalm-pad so that the infant is provided access to suck its fingers andhealth care providers are allowed complete access to all of the infant'sfingernails so that medical tests and measurements involvingvisualization of the fingernails may be performed.
 2. A method ofpreventing an infant from grasping health care devices comprising thesteps of: affixing a wearable structure to at least one hand of saidinfant; said wearable structure being adapted to impede the grasp ofsaid infant; said wearable structure comprising: a palm pad; and atleast one elastic strap, coupled to said palm pad wherein said palm-padis retained in a palm of said infant by said at least one strap thatwraps around the backside of the infant's hand.
 3. A method ofpreventing a newborn infant from harming themselves by pulling on theirhealth care devices, comprising the steps of: a) providing a wearablestructure comprising: a palm pad, a strapping structure including awrist strap securable about a wrist of an infant and a strap extensionextending between the wrist strap and the palm pad; and a finger strapdefining a finger opening for receiving a finger of an infanttherethrough and in mechanical connection with the palm pad at alocation such that when the wrist strap is wrapped around a wrist of aninfant and a finger of an infant is inserted through the finger opening,the palm pad is maintained in a palm area of the infant's hand such thatthe grasp of the infant is impeded; b) positioning a finger of an infantthrough the finger opening defined by the finger strap; c) positioningthe palm pad onto the palm area of an infant's hand; and d) securing thewrist strap about a wrist of an infant at a location such that the palmpad is maintained in a palm area of the infant's hand such that thegrasp of the infant is impeded.